jdkxtreme

Ok guys and gals.Thanks in advance.
I am going to finally move up from the electric Parkzone j-3 cub and the hobbyzone super cub.
These are my choices from my LHS
Hobbico Hobbistar 60 select 379.99
Hobbico Nexstar 46 select 369.99
Hobbico avistar 40 select 274.99

I think the two top ones come with the sim.I already have a real flight one.I have severla hours on it so i hate to pay an extra 100.00 for a plane that is the same as a cheaper one but has a sim that i do not need..

So any ideas would be wonderfull..

PS. the owner of the LHS really is pushing the Avistar 40 select for some reason.

Mr67Stang

The Avistar is a very good choice for someone with some experience yet still needs a trainer. The Avistar has a semisemetrical airfoil wing thus it's acrobatic potential is a bit better. The other trainers you listed will do the same acrobatics, but the Avistar will make them look a little prettier. Also with a little less dihedral you get more of a stablized sport trainer out of the deal. So if you are comfortable with your previous planes I would recomend the Avistar to you as well. However, it comes with a wimpy OS .40 LA that will be worthless to you later. Get the ARF and peice it together with a OS .46 AX or a Thunder Tiger .46 BB Pro, and since it seems your in this to stay you can get a decent transmitter while your at it all for about what you would pay for the Hobbistar 60. I will go do some pricing and chime back in with an example.

PS: The advantage of the Hobbistar 60 is it's big and easy to see. Seems like that is not an issue with you since you are used to looking at those little Cub's of yours

Mr67Stang

[link]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXPY56&P=MLHobbico[/link] Avistar 40 II MonoKote ARF .40,59" $99.99
[link]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFMD5&P=ML[/link]O.S. .46 AX ABL w/Muffler $104.99
[link]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKF97&P=ML[/link]Thunder Tiger Pro .46 Ball Bearing ABC w/Muffler $89.99
[link]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHYK7**&P=ML[/link]Futaba 6EXAS 6-Channel FM/4 S3004 Servos $174.99

$379.97 with the OS .46 AX or $364.97 with the TT .46 Pro, then Tower will take $30.00 off that and their standard shipping is $8.99 so you can be set up for $343.96 and have a better Radio than any of those "Select" set up come with. I am not bashing the RTF packages as that is how I started with a Hobbico Nexstar Select I am just saying I paid for a bunch of stuff I don't use anymore.

jdkxtreme

I see you started with a nexstar..why would you recomend the avistar over it?

Mr67Stang

The Nexstar is a lot of "Bling"/ show and advertizing. You pay for all that advertizing. The Avistar, I have flown one, flys better. Period, hands down.

jdkxtreme

Thank you so much for all of your input.Avistar it is.lol

felixone

I can whole heartily recommend the Avistar as that is the plane I am learning on. If you have the extra money, I would definitely take Mr67Stang's advice and go the ARF route. The radio that comes with the RTF version to me was rather "cheap". Of course this is to be expected. After only 6-8 weeks, I have already replaced mine. I of course just lucked onto a great deal, otherwise I planned to upgrade the radio when I upgrade my plane. If you belong to a club I would ask around, there is bound to be somebody that is looking to sell a 6 channel that would be great for this plane, as well as many more to come.

I also would suggest going with a better engine than the O.S. 40LA. It is adequate, and pulls the plane around nicely, but you can tell that it is bit sluggish. I don't know that I will ever be using this again, unless I am overpowering a 25 size plane.

Now the simulator question I can't answer for you...I bought RealFlight 3.5 right before I bought the plane. I was also originally looking at the Nexstar for the simulater, but it comes with an older version (2 I believe), and it only has the one plane. Purchasing the whole package allows me to practice more advanced maneuvers now that I have started moving past simple take offs and landings. Having this flexibility was worth the extra money for me. Since you already have a sim, I would suggest passing on the ones that come with one. You can always buy a new one later if you need the added features. Also once you have a decent transmitter you can buy one of the more inexpensive sims that don't come with a controller.

There is a also a really good trainer package, that comes with everything you need including flight line gear. It is from Thuder Tiger, Bigedmustafa (I think that is spelled right) has posted a review and links a couple times now. According to him it is very similar to the Avistar. You might search for his posts if he doesn't chime in on this.

No matter what, good luck. Any of the 3 choices you listed are great options, and you won't do wrong with them. Just make sure you get an instructor if you can. Even though you have some flight experience, flying glow engines is a whole new bag. There are a lot of things that you need to be aware of like engine tuning that flying electrics can't teach you.

Keep us updated on your decision and progress.

ianwynne

If I may chime in. It's better to get an engine with too much power rather than too little, provided there isn't a weight penality.

I have an OS 50SX in my Hobbico Superstar trainer. My instructor has said on a couple of occasions, "it's got soooo much power".

I bought the 50SX because I wanted an engine which would outlast my first couple of trainer planes.

It's common to see the 40LA being sold on eBay. In various ways the seller will say that they have moved onto engines with more power.

Good luck with your progress.

Bye, Ian

jetmech05

well the more power thing may not be quite truthful when it comes to selling an engine on e-bay....now don't get me wrong the OS LA series engines are great and can last a long time. The truth is they are cheap, so good for beginners, they don't have bearings, so when the bushings are shot, its pretty much shot.
new guys tend to run engines too lean. In other words you just don't know what you're gettin
jdkxtreme wise choice

B.L.E.

The bushings are probably the last thing that will wear out on a .40 LA. You will likely need to replace a couple of piston/liners and connecting rods first. The cost of these parts is high enough that you'll probably just spend a few more bucks on a new engine.

These engines are not nessesarily useless for your second plane. Just choose a second plane that normally uses a .25 to .32 BB engine. Some .25 ball bearing engines weigh nearly as much as a .40 LA. A lot of seasoned flyers use OS .40 LA engines as an alternative to .25 ball bearing engines. Likewise, a .65 LA is a good alternative to a .46 BB engine.

jdkxtreme

Thanks for all the info guy i really did need it.I have a neighbor that has a duraplane.That thing looks like a pile of junk.But man does it take creashes awsome..I have saw him fly it into a building land on it's top..All he does is put a new prop on and keep flying.Would anyone suggest one of those?

Mr67Stang

Nope.

jdkxtreme

May i ask why or just nope?lol

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

As for Duraplanes, you're better off getting a plane that flies well instead of investing in a plane that crashes well. You'll have a lot more fun learning to fly cuban eights and outside loops than you will seeing if your Duraplane can survive crashing into a fence post.

The Avistar flies very well. It's a good solid trainer and it's quite capable of performing sportsman level aerobatics as well. Compared to the Nexstar it flies better in windy conditions and it's a much more solid value since you already have a flight sim. Compared to the Hobbistar, the Avistar's covering seems to hold up much better and will stay attached to the plane a lot longer.

The .40 LA engine gets a lot of criticism, but it's a good reliable engine that will last a very long time, and it has plenty of power to fly the Avistar .40 airframe. Just remember that engines with bushings instead of ball-bearings like castor oil. Ball-bearing engines like castor oil too, but it's important to run fuel with as much castor oil as possible in bushing engines like the K&B Sportster, the O.S. Max LA, or the Thunder Tiger GP series.

If your hobby store only stocks all synthetic oil fuel or 80 synth/20 castor fuel, buy some extra castor oil from the hobby store or pharmacy and add a few ounces to your fuel jug. This will help your .40 LA run smoother, cooler, and produce more power.

The Hobbistar .60 trainer is a nice plane, but they are notorious for the covering peeling off in sheets. If you are considering buying one, get a covering iron to go over the ARF with as soon as you get it home. You'll want to go over the covering to make sure that the skin is tight and the wrinkles are removed, that the glue is stuck down to the wood where the two make contact, and that all edges and trim pieces are sealed tightly to prevent fuel residue from seeping in and losening the covering.

The Hobbistar .60 comes with semisymmetrical wing like the Avistar, but it's larger size will make it more stable in windy conditions and easier to see from the ground. It comes with the highly underrated O.S. Max .65 LA, which will actually out-turn the .61 FX ball-bearing engine when running certain props with the same fuel and glow plug. The Hobbistar is a nice plane, but you will learn an awful lot about iron-on covering one way or the other if you choose it for your trainer.

As for the Nexstar, I trained on one and I liked it. The ALS is useless, and the wing pods and air brakes are largely unnecessary. The flight sim that comes in the box is a good training tool, but most pilots quickly grow tired of one plane and one flying field and opt for the full-blown simulator anyway. You pay too much for the Nexstar Select RTF because of several things included with it that add to the cost but that aren't really all that helpful. Nexstars can be tough for students to handle in windy conditions, but there may not be an easier airframe with which to learn to land.

You could buy a Nexstar ARF, a Futaba 4YF radio system, and a Magnum XLS .46A or Super Tigre GS-45 for around the same price as the Avistar Select RTF. You'd have a lot more building and assembly to do, but you might get the most bang for your buck with regard to purchasing a Hobbico trainer.

Please consider the Thunder Tiger Easy Fly 40H Super Combo with Side Kick field accessory package:

http://www.thundertiger4u.com/easy-t...k-p-13081.html

This package includes a high quality glow-powered trainer with pre-installed radio system, .40-sized glow engine, and pretty much everything you need to go fly it except a bottle of fuel. At $259.99, it's an amazing bargain.

You can read a review of the Easy Fly 40 here:

http://www.masportaviator.com/ah.asp?CatID=1&ID=124

Unfortunately, the folks at http://www.thundertiger4u.com use the same generic description from the Ace Hobby website for both the ARF and the "Super Combo plus Side Kick" items.

The $259.99 includes the Easy Trainer 40H airframe with engine and radio system pre-installed. The engine is a Thunder Tiger GP-42 2-stroke; it's powerful, reliable, and easy to tune. The radio system is the Hitec Laser 4. The fuel tank is installed and plummed. There is a prop and spinner included.

The Side Kick flight accessory pack also comes included at the $259.99 price point. This includes the glow ignitor and charger, manual fuel pump, 4-way glow/prop wrench, fuel cap kit and fuel line, chicken stick, and even a cardboard carrying caddy.

The folks at http://www.thundertiger4u.com also ship all orders $150 or higher for free.

The Easy Fly 40H airframe is the one with the semi-symmetrical wing, like the Hangar 9 Arrow or Hobbico Avistar. It will fly better in windy conditions and will be more aerobatic once the student masters basic flight and wants to start practicing inverted flight, cuban eights, outside loops, and the like.

Hopefully the folks at thundertiger4u.com will update their item description to make it more clear. I have purchased from them myself, so I have no trouble recommending them. They have great prices, they communicate well when you order or ask a question, and they ship fast.

Your local hobby store can probably order the Easy Fly 40H Super Combo for you, but I wouldn't guarantee they'd be willing to match the $259.99 pricing. Still, it never hurts to ask. You might be able to buy locally and save $20 plus the cost of field equipment over the price of the Avistar.

Good luck, and good shopping!

Mr67Stang

As BigEd said in his own words. Planes designed to fly naturaly fly better than planes designed to crash. If your seriously interested in a plane like the Duraplane series then concider building a [link=http://www.spadtothebone.com/freeplans.htm]SPAD[/link].

Trollmaster

To continue the upside of this statement is that your engine will only pull that trainer to a certain speed because of the design.

If you make your "second plane" a "stick" you will see a very noticiable increase in speed an perfromance from the same engine. That same engine if placed in a small spped plane like a Shrike will pull it well over 100mph.